Transitions Again at DVinfo.net

Gary Chavez · March 24th, 2003, 12:43 PM

still having the problem of only being able to edit 1 transition into my timeline. almost seems like there is some default that i unknowingly set. just trying to do simply cross dissolves at every edit point and only allowed one. it seems i can put that one anywhere in the timeline, if that helps.

Ken Tanaka · March 24th, 2003, 01:01 PM

Gary,
What editing software and type of Mac are you using?

Gary Chavez · March 24th, 2003, 02:28 PM

editing software....fcp3, g4 dual 1.25

Ken Tanaka · March 24th, 2003, 03:13 PM

Gary,
What exactly happens when you try to place successive transitions into the timeline? (Remember that you need a bit of footage overlap at the head and tail to make a transition work.)

Are you new to video editing and/or to Final Cut Pro?

Gary Chavez · March 24th, 2003, 03:16 PM

very new, been to training but had 6 weeks before the system giot here after training, so it all slipped away. at some edit points get the "insufsient content for edit" message. after i count back the appropriate # of frames, it still wont take. no messeage, just does not take the transition.

Gary Chavez · March 24th, 2003, 03:18 PM

no, not new to editing, i can make two Beta decks sing to the heavens. yes, 2week with FPC3.

Ken Tanaka · March 24th, 2003, 05:03 PM

Gary,
The "insufficient content for edit" is a familiar nastygram for many of us FCP editors. Also, the apparent no-reaction/no-effect is familiar.

Basically, I see 3 alternatives available to you.

1. You could do a roll edit to increase the footage available to the transition. I know you indicated that you've counted frames, but I think you'll discover that you'll need to add just a bit more.

2. You can change the default duration of the transition to make it a bit less demanding.

3. You can create a cross-dissolve transition (as well as other styles) manually by keyframing opacities and using bezier curves to smooth as required.

As you may already know, it's very helpful to magnify the timeline view and turn curve displays on for this work.

I've encountered this situation many times and have used all three of these methods depending on the situation. With your experience in the linear editing world I'm sure you will quickly master FCP and its various idiosyncracies.

Gary Chavez · March 26th, 2003, 01:10 PM

very helpful, thank you

Bud Kuenzli · March 26th, 2003, 02:54 PM

if you pull a clip into the timeline that has no 'leader' to it then there is nothing for the transition to grab and it can't be applied. that's why you should always shoot a few seconds before any important footage and a few seconds after. there are a couple of work arounds. you can create a 5 second still frame that matches the first frame of what you want and apply the transition to that frame to blend into the existing footage. you can also set the opacity for the clip such that you have something like a dissolve into that clip. if you overlap two clips and reduce the opacity of one while you increase the opacity of the second clip (starting from black) then you have a cross dissolve with no actual transition required. time consuming but effective for a few clips here and there. you can also recapture or go to the bin and re-grab longer handles if that's possible.

Gary Chavez · March 27th, 2003, 07:10 AM

yeah, i did the clip overlay method, amazing. it used to take me many tens of thousands of $ worth of equipment to do that effect, without such detail controls. i might be buying in to this non-linear stuff. just hope i have hair left when its all over.

Jeff Donald · March 30th, 2003, 02:27 PM

Start leaving longer handles on your clips when you batch capture. You can always trim in the time line if you have to. It is very slow to have to recapture longer clips. If you just can't make a dissolve or cross fade work use a dip to color.

Gary Chavez · April 1st, 2003, 02:29 PM

whats the secreat? will not take any color, only black.

Jeff Donald · April 1st, 2003, 07:05 PM

Drop the effecton the timeline. Double click on the effect in the timeline. In the left window (Viewer:Slug) click on the filter tab, click on the arrow next to video effect and a pallette, eye dropper etc. will appear. Use eye dropper to pull color in from clip or choose color using sliders. Render (apple key>R key) if necessary.

Gary Chavez · April 2nd, 2003, 10:48 AM

you are a stud, and i owe you a beer, with, im sure, many mnore to come. ta much!

March 24th, 2003, 12:43 PM	#1
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	transitions again still having the problem of only being able to edit 1 transition into my timeline. almost seems like there is some default that i unknowingly set. just trying to do simply cross dissolves at every edit point and only allowed one. it seems i can put that one anywhere in the timeline, if that helps.

March 24th, 2003, 01:01 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Gary, What editing software and type of Mac are you using? __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 24th, 2003, 03:13 PM	#4
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Gary, What exactly happens when you try to place successive transitions into the timeline? (Remember that you need a bit of footage overlap at the head and tail to make a transition work.) Are you new to video editing and/or to Final Cut Pro? __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 24th, 2003, 05:03 PM	#7
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Gary, The "insufficient content for edit" is a familiar nastygram for many of us FCP editors. Also, the apparent no-reaction/no-effect is familiar. Basically, I see 3 alternatives available to you. 1. You could do a roll edit to increase the footage available to the transition. I know you indicated that you've counted frames, but I think you'll discover that you'll need to add just a bit more. 2. You can change the default duration of the transition to make it a bit less demanding. 3. You can create a cross-dissolve transition (as well as other styles) manually by keyframing opacities and using bezier curves to smooth as required. As you may already know, it's very helpful to magnify the timeline view and turn curve displays on for this work. I've encountered this situation many times and have used all three of these methods depending on the situation. With your experience in the linear editing world I'm sure you will quickly master FCP and its various idiosyncracies. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 26th, 2003, 02:54 PM	#9
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	insufficient content if you pull a clip into the timeline that has no 'leader' to it then there is nothing for the transition to grab and it can't be applied. that's why you should always shoot a few seconds before any important footage and a few seconds after. there are a couple of work arounds. you can create a 5 second still frame that matches the first frame of what you want and apply the transition to that frame to blend into the existing footage. you can also set the opacity for the clip such that you have something like a dissolve into that clip. if you overlap two clips and reduce the opacity of one while you increase the opacity of the second clip (starting from black) then you have a cross dissolve with no actual transition required. time consuming but effective for a few clips here and there. you can also recapture or go to the bin and re-grab longer handles if that's possible. __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are

March 24th, 2003, 02:28 PM	#3
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	editing software....fcp3, g4 dual 1.25

March 24th, 2003, 03:16 PM	#5
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	very new, been to training but had 6 weeks before the system giot here after training, so it all slipped away. at some edit points get the "insufsient content for edit" message. after i count back the appropriate # of frames, it still wont take. no messeage, just does not take the transition.

March 24th, 2003, 03:18 PM	#6
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	no, not new to editing, i can make two Beta decks sing to the heavens. yes, 2week with FPC3.

March 26th, 2003, 01:10 PM	#8
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	very helpful, thank you

March 27th, 2003, 07:10 AM	#10
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	yeah, i did the clip overlay method, amazing. it used to take me many tens of thousands of $ worth of equipment to do that effect, without such detail controls. i might be buying in to this non-linear stuff. just hope i have hair left when its all over.

March 30th, 2003, 02:27 PM	#11
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Start leaving longer handles on your clips when you batch capture. You can always trim in the time line if you have to. It is very slow to have to recapture longer clips. If you just can't make a dissolve or cross fade work use a dip to color. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 1st, 2003, 02:29 PM	#12
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	dip to color whats the secreat? will not take any color, only black.

April 1st, 2003, 07:05 PM	#13
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Drop the effecton the timeline. Double click on the effect in the timeline. In the left window (Viewer:Slug) click on the filter tab, click on the arrow next to video effect and a pallette, eye dropper etc. will appear. Use eye dropper to pull color in from clip or choose color using sliders. Render (apple key>R key) if necessary. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 2nd, 2003, 10:48 AM	#14
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	you are a stud, and i owe you a beer, with, im sure, many mnore to come. ta much!